


Too Beautiful

by halfsweet



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-01 18:08:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5215571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfsweet/pseuds/halfsweet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Patrick comes to Pete's house in the middle of the night, bloodied and bruised, and Pete is more than grateful that he is granted a second chance to save Patrick again, after failing the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title and story inspired by the song Too Beautiful by He Is We.

Pete stirs from his sleep to the sound of his doorbell ringing. He sits up with a groan and rubs the sleep from his eyes, and checks his phone for the time.

_02:30_

What kind of person is still awake at this kind of hour? The doorbell rings again, and Pete swings his legs to the edge of the bed, making his way to the front door.

He's prepared to give a lecture on coming to people's house in unreasonable hours when he opens the door, revealing the person. "Holy shit."

Pete's mouth falls open in surprise, and all the words are caught in his throat but one. "Patrick…"

Patrick keeps his head down, gaze fixed at his feet. Pete, on the other hand, is gaping at the bruises and wounds on the younger man's face. There's blood trailing down from his temple to his chin, a cut on his brow, swollen lips, and smeared blood just below his nose.

As Patrick pulls his sleeves over his fingers, Pete knows those are just the tip of the iceberg. Quickly breaking out of his stupor, he pulls Patrick gently inside, noticing the way the younger man flinches slightly at the contact.

Pete closes the door and raises his hand tentatively, unsure how Patrick will react, but when Patrick stays still, he gingerly brushes his fingers over the younger man's temple, and notes at how cold the skin is.

"Come on. Let's get you cleaned and warmed up."

Pete places his hand on Patrick's back, guiding him to his bedroom. As they walk, Pete doesn't miss the slight hitch of breath for every step that Patrick takes.

His chest aches at the younger man's condition. He knows Patrick is suffering from his relationship, but when asked about it, Patrick would always give excuses to cover up everything.

Pete might not see the hits and the beatings, but he overheard them once, and the words from Patrick's abusive boyfriend still ring in his ears whenever he sees Patrick.

_"You don't know what I've been through!"_

_"You don't know what I've done for you!"_

Then there was the sound of a body being hit, followed by stifled cries and repeated apologies.

Pete knows he should have just barged in and save Patrick, but as he stood on the other side of the door, listening to the noises, he knew he couldn't do anything. So he closed his eyes and turned his back, walking away with a heavy feeling of guilt and regret.

"Sit here," Pete says with a gentle voice, directing the younger to the edge of the bathtub. He turns the tap on, filling the bathtub with warm water.

Once it's filled, he dips his hand into the tub, testing the temperature, and pours soap in it. He turns to look at Patrick, to ask him to take off his shirt, and pauses when he sees the blank expression on Patrick's face.

And Pete's heart breaks. Patrick is the type of person that always wears his heart on his sleeves. There's always expressions on his face- be it happy, angry, or sad, but never blank.

Witnessing the younger man with an empty look on his face, it's almost as if that Patrick's heart is, too.

Pete tries to regain his composure. He needs to be strong for Patrick.

"Patrick," Pete calls him softly, not receiving any response in return, but he knows Patrick hears him. "Take off your clothes and get in the tub, okay? I'll get you some clean ones."

He rubs Patrick's shoulder before leaving the bathroom and making his way to the closet. Once he reaches the closet, he leans his forehead against the door, eyes closed shut, and chokes out a sob.

Patrick looks like he's given up.

Another sob escapes his mouth when he comes to a realization. If he didn't wake up or decided to ignore the doorbell, he could have lost Patrick forever.

The fact that Patrick came to him is almost like a sign that Pete is meant to save him. He passed up the first chance he's given, and Patrick went through a great deal of suffering from it. Now that Pete is granted a second chance to save him again, Pete's not going to let it go.

He rubs his eyes, getting rid of any tears, and takes out a shirt, a pajama bottom, and a pair of boxers, then walks back to the bathroom.

Patrick is already seated in the tub, his clothes folded and placed neatly on the counter. Pete places the fresh clothes next to Patrick's and grabs a small towel, wetting it.

He rubs the wet towel gently over the wounds on Patrick's face, cleaning them. He continues to clean Patrick in silence, glancing at the younger man once in a while. Patrick doesn't move, doesn't say anything the entire time. The only movement from him is the slow rising and falling of his chest from breathing.

When he's finished with cleaning Patrick's wounds, he stands up and grabs a towel, then handing it to Patrick. "I've put the clothes on the counter. I'll go get an ice pack, and you get dressed, okay?"

He already knows Patrick won't respond to him, or to anything for that matter, so he moves to get an ice pack in the kitchen. He knows it isn't enough to cover all the bruises on Patrick's body, but at least it's better than none.

He makes his way back to the bathroom and peers inside to see if Patrick has already put his clothes on. The fresh shirt lays abandoned on the counter as Patrick stares at his reflection, hand tracing idly over his side where there are five fingers imprint.

From Pete's view, he can take a good look at the bruises and scars on Patrick's back. He watches the younger man in sadness. Patrick doesn't deserve any of the beatings.

He steps inside and looks at Patrick's reflection in the mirror. "Come on," he says softly, and moves to make way for the younger man. Pete enters the bathroom and takes the first aid kit and his shirt, then walks into his bedroom.

"Here. Sit on the bed." Pete gestures and waits for Patrick to sit, then he follows suit, sitting next to him. He takes out a bottle of antibiotic from the first aid kit and pours a small amount of it on a cotton pad, and brushes it gently over the cuts on Patrick's face, then covers them with band-aids.

There's no sound coming form the younger man- no wincing from the pain, no anything. In fact, there's no reaction at all. Pete lowers his hand and gazes at him.

Patrick's expression remains blank, and Pete can't tell what is going through his head. He picks up the ice pack and holds it over Patrick's shoulder, where he notices a huge bruise on the area earlier.

"What happened?" Pete asks after a moment of silence. When he gets no response, he tries again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

No response.

"Do you want a drink? Anything to eat?"

Still no response. The vacant stare from Patrick is enough to stun Pete to silence. Patrick is far too lost in his state of mind, and Pete's not sure if he can pull him back.

He swallows down the lump in his throat and pulls Patrick close to him, burying his nose in the younger man's hair and holding him protectively. Whatever happens, he'll find a way to bring Patrick back. He'll find a way to bring his smile back.

"You're safe now. I got you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave some comments!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this story was originally supposed to be a one-shot...

Pete's pretty sure that the time is already past 4 in the morning, probably 5, since he was awaken by the ringing of the doorbell. He mentally calculates the amount of time he has for a quick nap before he has to go for work. One hour and a half sounds good enough. Besides, he managed to stay awake during his shift just from an hour of sleep once.

He shifts his attention to the younger man in his arms. He doesn't realize when Patrick has fallen asleep after bandaging his wounds. He slowly cards his fingers through Patrick's hair before laying him down on the bed and covering him with a blanket.

His gaze softens as Patrick breathes out slowly, lips parted. Patrick is now clean and warm and  _safe_  in his house, much unlike the state he was in a few hours ago, bruised and battered.

He glances at the clock again to check at the time, then looks back at the sleeping man. Today is Friday, so if he takes the day off, he can take care of Patrick until Sunday.

Patrick whimpers quietly in his sleep, and Pete rubs his leg from the cover in an attempt to soothe him. The whimpering dies down moments later with Pete continously petting him through his nightmares.

With his mind made up, Pete decides to take the day off. He can just call in sick today, his co-worker can cover for him. Right now, Patrick needs him.

-

Pete cooks a batch of pancakes and sets them aside for Patrick. It's already 9 in the morning, and Patrick still has yet to wake up. He turns off the stove and walks to his bedroom, debating whether he should let Patrick to continue sleeping or wake him up for breakfast. Or he should let Patrick have his breakfast, then sleep again after that.

When Pete goes to check up on Patrick, the younger man is still curled on his side. Pete's brows are furrowed in concern. Even while sleeping, Patrick's body is still tense, as if expecting to be awaken any second.

He wonders if Patrick has ever gotten beat up when he's asleep.

The hair on his neck stands up at the thought. That was just low and plain sick. At the same time, he can't help feeling angry at himself for not saving him when he had the chance to. He could have saved Patrick from all the beatings and bruises and scars.

Pete isn't going to dwell on his past mistake any longer. He's going to make the most out of the second chance he got.

He places his hand on Patrick's shoulder, shaking him gently. The warmth he feels from Patrick's body is too high to be normal. He moves his hand to rest on Patrick's forehead, frowning when it's hot under his skin. Patrick has a fever.

He makes his way to the bathroom and grabs a small towel he used the previous night, running water over it and folding it before he places it on Patrick's forehead. Patrick gives a soft whine, but doesn't stir from his sleep.

Pete sits down on the bed with a sigh, feeling more than devastated that Patrick has to suffer through everything, while Pete can't do anything to lessen the pain.

What Pete can do now is take care of Patrick, and he's going to do just that. He grabs a towelette and a basin of water, then washes Patrick and replaces his bandages, a plate of pancakes lay forgotten in the kitchen.

-

Patrick continues to sleep through the day, and Pete's relieved that his temperature has gone down slightly. He doesn't want to have to bring Patrick to the doctor and let everyone see the bruises on his face.

And Pete is certain that Patrick doesn't want anyone to know that he ran away from his hell of a house last night before coming to his place.

Patrick cracks his eyes open, taking in his surroundings. Pete can see the haze of confusion in Patrick's eyes. Patrick seems to not remember anything that happened up until right now.

Pete helps him move into a sitting position and hands him a pill and a glass of water. Patrick takes them wordlessly, swallowing the medicine and drinking the water. He gives them back to Pete and keeps quiet.

Patrick's face is no longer devoid of emotion like the night before, which scared Pete tremendously. His face and his eyes show Pete clearly just how tired Patrick is.

Pete places a hand on the younger man's shoulder and rubs gently. Patrick doesn't say anything, just lay back down on the bed, facing away from Pete.

"I'll keep you safe, Patrick." Pete says to him, determination showing in his voice. "I promise."

Patrick pulls the blanket over his body and curls in on himself. "Please don't make any promises you can't keep."

He closes his eyes and pulls the pillow over his face, and Pete just looks at him with a heavy heart. Patrick looks so small and defeated. Even though Pete knows Patrick can't see him, he just gives him a nod, voice cracking just the slightest. "I'll try my best to keep you safe, then."

-

Night arrives, and Pete enters his room to check up on Patrick again. Patrick is already awake, laying on his side and staring off into space. He has that vacant look in his eyes again, and Pete doesn't think he will ever be able to get used to it.

"Hey." Pete calls him with a soft voice, not wanting to startle him. He lets out a sigh when he doesn't get anything in reply, and sits on the edge of the bed, placing his hand on Patrick's covered leg.

Patrick doesn't make any response, and it's almost like he's back to how he was last night. Pete can't stand to watch Patrick living like an empty shell anymore, even if it's been just a day.

"Patrick," Pete starts, looking at him and choosing his words carefully, "I know what's been happening. I know he hits you. I know what he's been doing to you."

The empty stare is still present, but when Patrick finally opens his mouth to speak, his voice sounds monotone and rehearsed. "No, he doesn't. He's never beaten me once."

In just one day, Pete's already shattered heart breaks again for what seems to be the hundredth time. Even after everything, Patrick still chooses to defend his abusive boyfriend.

"Stop defending him, please. I know you're not happy. I know you're suffering. Let me help you," he pleads, leaning forward and holding Patrick's hand to pull him into a sitting position. Patrick won't meet his eyes, but his expression falters at Pete's words.

"Patrick, please, you need to say something. I can't do anything if you're keeping quiet about this. You can't keep protecting him." Pete looks at him desperately, hand gripping Patrick's shoulder to emphasize his word. "I want you to be safe."

It takes a moment for Patrick to reply, and Pete waits patiently for him to gather his words. He moves his hand back to Patrick's leg, stroking back and forth repeatedly to ease his nerves.

"Pete, I-" Patrick pauses, and Pete holds his breath when finally,  _finally_  Patrick's pair of blue eyes meet his own brown ones. It amazes him how the very same pair of blue eyes can get his heart racing and calming at the same time.

"I need help," the younger man says quietly, dropping his gaze back to his fingers. "I- he's been beating me. I can't take it anymore, Pete. My body hurts, and I'm tired."

Without wasting another second, Pete pulls him into a hug, rubbing his hand up and down Patrick's arm, smiling at Patrick's confession. He can't help but feel proud at him for finally admitting his toxic relationship, no longer denying about it.

"You can rest now," Pete murmurs softly, raising his hand to thread his fingers in Patrick's hair, a sure way to get him to relax and fall asleep. "Whatever happens, I got you. I'll keep you safe."

Patrick turns his head and buries himself in Pete's chest, burrowing closer. "Thank you."

The small action sends Pete's heart flutter with joy. He has always wanted to be close to Patrick, but knows it's almost impossible since Patrick is already in another relationship. He doesn't feel bitter about it, instead he feels happy that Patrick found someone to make him happy, until he doesn't.

Pete holds Patrick closer to his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around the younger man. He remembers when Patrick's smile had started to lessen, when Patrick started wearing long sleeves even in hot weather, when Patrick stopped replying his texts and answering his calls, and meeting friends in general.

Pete remembers clearly the way his heart was absolutely torn to pieces when he found out Patrick was abused, kept quiet about it, and still stayed in the relationship faithfully.

Now, with Patrick in his arms, Pete vows to himself that he'd keep Patrick happy and safe. "You're safe, Patrick." He repeats himself, assures the younger man once again. He feels a slight nod against his chest and continues to pet him to sleep. The sound of doorbell ringing echoes in the house, and Pete wants nothing more for the person to just go away. He doesn't want to move from his current position, he's perfectly content with it.

With a begrudging sigh, he pulls away from Patrick and gets off the bed. "I'll get the door. You just sleep, okay? Get some rest."

Patrick gives him another nod before laying back on the bed, hugging a pillow to his chest and closing his eyes. Pete smiles at the sight before leaving his bedroom, wondering who the guest is.

When he opens the door, his eyes are narrowed into slits as he tightens his clutch on the doorknob. The person just smiles at him, not at all intimidated by Pete's glare.

"Hi. I believe my boyfriend has been staying here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...or, well, a two-shot. I certainly didn't expect it to turn out this way.
> 
> EDIT: Hey, you guys can suggest who's going to be the abusive guy. I can't think up of anyone :/ or would you rather for the person to be an OC?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The weekend was boring, so this happened.

"Patrick's not here," Pete says sternly and makes a motion to close the door, only to be blocked by the person's foot. "Come on now, Wentz. You and I both know that's not true."

The person-  _monster, devil in disguise_ , and whatever names that Pete can think of, steps inside the house and walks as if he owns it. "Get out. I told you Patrick's not here," Pete grits his teeth, glaring daggers at the other man's back.

"If Patrick's not here, then what are you so fidgety about?" The man asks casually, tilting his head to smirk at Pete. "Unless you have something, no,  _someone_  to hide."

"I have nothing to hide, dude," Pete tries to keep his voice calm, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. It's a technique he learned if he wanted to appear calm. "It's late, and I just want to sleep already."

When Pete opens his eyes again, the man is already out of his sight. Panic begins to rise in his chest, and Pete dashes to the direction of his bedroom, praying that Patrick is safe.

"You got into another man's bed pretty quickly."

Pete manages to reach his bedroom to see Patrick jolting up quickly from the bed, eyes open wide in fear. "Get out of my house," Pete growls, grabbing the other man by the elbow and pulling him out.

The man shoves Pete away and smirks, not breaking eye contact from Patrick, who is trembling with his knees pulled up to his chest. "Patrick, love, I'm here to pick you up. Let's go home."

He walks to Patrick's side and reaches for his wrist, but Pete quickly beats him to it and shoves him away, standing protectively in front of Patrick.

"So you can beat him again?" Pete glares up at him and clenches his fist.

The man frowns at Pete's words and turns back to Patrick. "What have you been telling him, Patrick?" There's a sickly sweet smile on his face, but his voice is just pure venom. Pete grits his teeth and moves so that he's obscuring the other man's view of Patrick.

"Get out before I call the cops. I can have you arrested for breaking in," Pete warns him, body tense.

The smile is wiped off of the man's face as he takes a step forward. Pete doesn't have much time to react when Patrick is pulled away from him. Patrick lets out a cry of pain, wobbling on his feet, and that's when Pete finally comes to his senses.

He grabs Patrick, and due to Patrick's fever, the younger man's lack of balance and coordination makes him stumble down to the floor.

"You good-for-nothing-" The man growls once he realizes Patrick is no longer in his grip, and he lifts his hand up high in the air before bringing it down with full speed and full force to the side of Pete's head.

Pete staggers to the side, wincing at the pain and the ringing in his ears. He notices the other man has raised his hand again, this time towards Patrick, and Pete wastes no time turning around, wounding his arms around Patrick and covering him for the next blow. He lets out a small gasp of pain when his back is strike hard.

"What the hell are you protecting him for? He deserves it!"

Pete bites his lips to stifle any groans from escaping. Being kicked and hit repeatedly is most definitely not on Pete's agenda that night. He glances down at Patrick, who is curled up into him, his fingers clutching the fabric of Pete's shirt tightly and hiding his face in Pete's chest.

The beating continues, and Pete just knows there will be bruises forming all over his back the next morning. Hearing Patrick's soft whimpers, he places his hand on Patrick's head and caresses him. If this is what Patrick had to go through everyday, then Pete wouldn't mind the bruises and scars on himself.

"You can't protect him forever, Wentz. Might as well just give up." A blow lands on the same side of Pete's head, and he stumbles forward into Patrick. The room begins to spin in his eyes, and Pete has to close his eyes to prevent himself from getting nauseated.

Patrick is already close to him, in fact, there's no space between them, but Pete still pulls him in, tightening his hold. He can feel Patrick's rising body heat from his fever, higher than the one in the afternoon. Patrick is shaking in his arms, either from the fever or fear, Pete can't really tell.

"Just hang on. It'll be over soon." Pete whispers in his ear, trying to calm the younger man down. If Pete has to be honest, he is as helpless as Patrick is. He doesn't have any basics in self-defense, and though he's been in enough brawls to know how to hold himself up, he can't turn away from Patrick. If Pete leaves Patrick unprotected for one second, Patrick's done for.

"S- stop."

Pete snaps his eyes open at the soft voice. His arms around Patrick loosen a little, but when he gets over his shock, he rubs his hand up and down Patrick's back. The beatings seem to stop, and if Pete has to guess, it's probably because he doesn't expect for Patrick to voice out.

"Just stop already," Patrick continues, and Pete can tell from his voice that Patrick is nervous for speaking up.

"What did you just say to me?"

On instinct, Pete stiffens and holds Patrick tighter. Patrick's voice is steady, but his body hides nothing to show that he's scared. He's still trembling, and his fingers grip tight on Pete's shirt, as if to pull him even closer. "I said stop. Stop hitting, stop yelling. Stop everything."

Judging from the sound of the footsteps, Pete knows that the person is standing right behind him.

"Oh, Patrick. You're so adorable when you actually think I'm going to listen to you," the man drawls and huffs in laughter.

In the midst of his laughter, Pete doesn't expect the words to flow out of Patrick's mouth. "I'm breaking up with you."

The laughter immediately stops, and the room is filled with tense silence. Patrick rises to his knees as he slowly raises his head to look at his boyfriend.  _Soon to be ex_ , Pete thinks to himself.

"I'm breaking up with you," Patrick repeats, voice steady as before, but this time, his body doesn't show any ounce of fright and nervousness. "And I never want to see you again."

In their close proximity, Pete shudders slightly when Patrick breathes, the hot air brushing against the skin of his neck. It's definitely an inappropriate time for him to be feeling like this, but for the sake of Patrick, he stays in his position. His hands are still on Patrick, stroking gently on his back, silently telling him that he will protect him.

"Why you little-"

Patrick ducks his head, and from the corner of Pete's eyes, he sees a swinging fist and immediately jumps into action. He grabs the fist and throws one of his own, loving the solid sound of his fist against the other's jaw.

Pete stands up to his feet and lunges forward, throwing punches left and right. It feels like he's in college again, young and reckless, getting into fights for no absolute reason.

The other man-  _Patrick's ex_  now, falls backwards from the force of Pete's punches, and Pete jumps on him, turning him over his stomach and twisting his arm behind his back. He shouts in pain as Pete continues to put more pressure on his bent arm.

"You'll leave Patrick from now on," Pete states firmly, receiving a groan in response. "I don't think Patrick heard you. Will you, or will you not leave Patrick alone after this?" Pete asks again, digging his knee into the guy's back.

"I will, I will!" He cries out, "just get off of me!"

Pete glances at Patrick, who is staring at him in surprise, before letting the guy- Patrick's ex, go. Christmas must have come early for Pete; he can't believe that Patrick is finally free.

He turns to Patrick when they're finally alone. "Patrick…"

Patrick seems like he can't get his head wrapped around what just happened. Pete barks out a laugh, happy and relieved, and in one giant step, he throws his arms around Patrick, smiling. "You're safe now, Patrick. For real."

He pulls away to look at Patrick,  _to see Patrick's smile again_ , only for Patrick to look back at him in shock. He creases his forehead in confusion at Patrick's weird behaviour. Patrick should be happy now that he's no longer in that toxic and abusive relationship.

"You okay, Patrick?"

Patrick doesn't reply, just raises his hand to Pete's head and lowers it to between their bodies. In the dimly lit bedroom, Pete can see the contrast between Patrick's pale skin and the dark crimson liquid.

Pete widens his eyes as he shifts his gaze from Patrick's blood covered fingers to Patrick's horror-stricken face. It finally dawns on him that his head is bleeding from being hit earlier.

He can feel the after effects of adrenaline crashing over him, and he falters, leaning into Patrick before his vision blacks out.

"Pete!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on patrol duty tonight at 2, and I just want to sleep already.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Test is over!

Pete opens his eyes the next morning and sees Patrick sitting up with his back against the bed, dozing, head nodding occasionally. Pete finds himself on the bed and under the covers, and he immediately feels bad that Patrick is sleeping on the floor.

He sits up slowly, mindful of the soreness on his back, and gently shakes Patrick awake. The younger man slowly blinks his eyes open and yawns, then turns to Pete.

"You okay?" He asks while rubbing his eyes, voice thick with sleep.

Pete nods and pulls Patrick up into the bed with him, and remembering Patrick's fever yesterday, he places his hand on the younger man's forehead, finding it slightly warm.

"You still have fever. You need to rest more," Pete says to him as he gets out of bed, preparing to get a wet towel.

"Pete."

He stops when he feels Patrick's hand around his wrist, tugging him back. Patrick is looking up at him with a concerned look on his face. "Pete, you're the one who needs more rest. You got hit on the head."

Patrick gestures to his head, and Pete finally notices the bandage wrapped around his head. Patrick must have taken care of him after he passed out last night.

He moves to sit on the bed and sighs. He should be taking care of Patrick, not the other way around. "I'm fine. I'm not the one with a fever right now," Pete says pointedly.

"I'm not the one with a bandage on my head," Patrick mumbles in reply, then hugs his knees to his chest. "Pete, thank you."

Pete slings his arm around Patrick's shoulder and pulls him to his side, and rests his head on top of Patrick's. "Don't mention it."  _I'd do anything for you._

"I wish I know a way to repay you."

Pete smiles into Patrick's hair and closes his eyes. "You can repay me by getting some rest."

He stands up and lays the younger man on the bed before he can utter a word of protest. "Go to sleep," he whispers as he softly brushes Patrick's hair.

When Patrick finally falls asleep, he heads to the bathroom to get a wet towel, then walks back into the bedroom and places it on the sleeping man's forehead, and makes his way back to the bathroom to shower.

He hisses in pain when he takes his shirt off. He turns his back to the mirror and cranes his neck to look at the reflection. His back is absolutely littered with bruises from last night.

The guy has some muscle, Pete admits. He hasn't been this sore from a fight until last night. He can't imagine how much pain Patrick was in for enduring the beatings for God knows how long.

He spots Patrick's dirty clothes on the sink counter and makes a mental note to get them washed and cleaned. It distresses him to see rips and blood on Patrick's usually neat and clean clothes.

-

Pete stares in surprise at the condition of his house. The hallway and the living room is completely thrashed. Frames that were hung on the wall are now broken and on the floor. The vases and other decorations share the same fate as well.

He lets out a frustrated sigh and begins to clean up the mess. There's no doubt that the person responsible for the destruction of his house is the monster that used to be Patrick's boyfriend. He probably did it after he lost their fight and was broken up by the timid, soft-spoken Patrick. The latter has got to be a low blow to anyone's ego. 

What a sore loser, Pete scoffs. Then, he grins gleefully to himself. Patrick's single now! He may just have a chance with Patrick after pining for the entire duration of their friendship.

His eyes stray to the door to his bedroom. Of course, what matters now is to help Patrick in any way he can.

His feelings can wait.

-

Pete has already established a pattern on that Saturday afternoon. He sets his timer for every two hours to give Patrick his medicine and water and to change the towel on his forehead. In between the two hours, Pete continues to clean up his house and sneak in a few naps.

By sundown, Patrick's fever has mostly gone down, and he's well enough to stand on his own without stumbling every few seconds. Pete hands him his spare clothes and decides to order a pizza for dinner.

"Hey, so I'm ordering pizza, and what topping-"

Pete pauses in his sentence as he walks into his bedroom. Patrick, freshly showered, is curled up under the blanket, sleeping. Pete leans against the doorway and crosses his arms, smiling at the sight.

They both have gone through so much in just one day, especially Patrick. Patrick had come to his house at 2 in the morning, gotten a fever, and was confronted by his abusive ex-boyfriend.

Patrick deserves the bed. Pete can sleep on the couch. The bruises on his back are nothing compared to what Patrick had suffered through.

His previous pang of hunger disappears and is replaced by sleepiness. Pete's tired anyway, and after a long day, he is in a desperate need of a good night's sleep.

He stifles a yawn and slowly, carefully gets on his bed and grabs a pillow. Patrick shifts in his sleep before his eyelids flutter open. "Pete…?"

Pete shoots him an apologetic smile and straightens his back, leaving the pillow. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

Patrick rubs his eyes with the heel of his palm and sits up on the bed, shaking his head. He looks just like a kid, and Pete has to use all of his willpower to refrain himself from jumping into the bed and snuggling with him.

"Go to sleep, Patrick. Your fever will be gone by tomorrow." After receiving a sleepy nod from Patrick, Pete begins to walk out of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Patrick asks him, head tilted in question.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch. You need the bed more than I do anyway," Pete smiles at the younger man's look of befuddlement. He taps on the latter's forehead and turns to leave.

"Pete?"

Patrick's soft voice makes Pete stop and turn around. He gives the younger man a look of confusion before asking him, "Yeah? What is it?"

Patrick casts his gaze downwards, fingers twisted in the sheet. He looks hesitant to say something, but Pete waits patiently for him. A part of him wonders if Patrick had ever gotten hit for wanting to say something.

"No, it's stupid. Nevermind." Patrick finally says and lays on his back, curling on his side. Pete sits on the bed and smiles at him. "Well, you know you can tell me anything, right? I'll just be in the living room."

He gives a pat on Patrick's leg before he stands up and walks to the door, switching off the light. "Good night, Patrick."

"C- can you sleep with me tonight?"

Patrick's question catches him off guard, and Pete has to do a double-take on whether he hears the question right. He realizes he takes too long to answer when Patrick lets out a small sigh.

"I- I'd love to sleep with you," Pete blurts out, then after registering what he has just said, he can feel his cheeks warm up. "I- I mean, not in that way, not that I don't- I mean-"

He stops himself before he can embarrass himself any further. Patrick pulls the blanket up to his nose, and for a split second, Pete swears he sees a ghost of a smile playing on Patrick's lips.

"Yeah, sure," Pete breathes, still starstrucked at the sight. He snaps out of his thoughts and walks back into the room, then eyes the bed. His bed is big enough for two person, but upon remembering what Patrick had been through, Pete's not sure if Patrick would be comfortable sharing a bed with another man so soon, even if the person is Pete.

He makes a beeline to the closet and takes out a duvet cover and a blanket, then spreads the cover on the floor next to his bed. He can feel Patrick's gaze on him, but the younger man doesn't say anything.

Pete kneels on the bed and quickly grabs a pillow, and lays down on the cover, pillow tucked nicely under his head, and stares at the ceiling. He hears the sound of his bed creaking and peeks to see that Patrick is also laying on his back and staring at the ceiling.

"Something on your mind?" Pete breaks the silence between them. Patrick hums in reply, and they fall into silence again.

"Pete, thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Even though Pete can't see Patrick from his position, he knows the same ghost of a smile is present on Patrick's lips. And one day, Pete is going make sure the smile will become real and genuine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, do you want it to end like this, or would you like for the story to continue? I'm fine either way :)


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